


George Knightley (Instead of Emma)

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Emma - Jane Austen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-05
Updated: 2007-12-05
Packaged: 2018-01-25 05:42:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1634582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>George Knightley has an interesting revelation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	George Knightley (Instead of Emma)

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank my betas for their hard work. My good friend Anna, and especially Elizabeth my Emma expert, who helped me a great deal. I cannot thank you enough!
> 
> Written for emma_in_oz

 

 

Mr. George Knightley sauntered into the warm drawing room of Hartfield feeling satisfied. Spending an evening with dear friends was always agreeable, especially if one of those friends was Emma. Emma made an evening delightful, even if she frustrated him in the process.

Mr. Knightley enjoyed even Mr. Woodhouse's company. Mr. Knightley could remember the old man as Woodhouse used to be when he was younger and George himself was but a boy of ten. Mr. and Mrs. Woodhouse were the kindest people George had ever met. Of course, George did find it a little strange that Mr. Woodhouse would insist that Knightley dressed well on a rainy day; it was not a thing a man would do. Mr. Woodhouse's kindness, however, was evident in every way it mattered to a young boy and George could never forget it.

Mr. Knightley shook his head to disperse his thoughts. Emma approached him, beaming, "Mr. Knightley! I have the most delightful news. You must let me tell you immediately."

Mr. Knightley cast Emma a glance and discerned sadness underneath her happy countenance that only one who knew her well might have detected. Near the fireplace sat Miss Taylor, looking content but bashful, while Mr. Woodhouse was looking grim and unhappy. Mr. Knightley knew immediately nature of the news, but wouldn't deprive of Emma the pleasure of telling him. "By all means, if you have such good news you must tell me at once. What has happened?"

"Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston are engaged. Isn't that the most fortunate of events?"

"It is certainly an event that makes me very happy to hear it. I suppose congratulations are in order." He approached the bride-to-be and wished her sincere joy. He was sure that both Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston would find everything they desired in that union. He had suspected for a while now that Mr. Weston's interest was not just that of a friend; he was certain that Miss Taylor would be a wonderful wife for any man of taste.

His felicitations were genuine. He had felt for a while that Miss Taylor deserved more than her current position could offer, although he could hardly utter anything like that within Mr. Woodhouse's hearing. He also couldn't help but feel, even though he knew that this would be an unpopular opinion, that Mr. Weston was the luckier of the two, within such a union. Miss Taylor was a worthy woman indeed.

Conversation buzzing around him recalled Mr. Knightley's attention to the rest of the party. _Mr. Weston was to come shortly... The wedding day should be... Some arrangements... Mr. Frank Churchill..._

That name brought a chill down his spine. Lately, whenever Mr. Weston mentioned his son, he would always look sideways at Emma. The expression made Mr. Knightley uneasy. He could not explain to himself why these looks bothered him so much - even more so when he understood their meaning - and he understood that quite clearly.

Mr. Knightley studied Miss Taylor's countenance. He saw there the same ill-disguised hopeful glance towards Emma. Miss Taylor, as a loyal wife-to-be, had already aligned her wishes - seeing Emma married well - to her fiance's, - a good marriage for his son, and with a girl that would bring Frank closer to home. It was perfectly natural. It made sense. Knightley could not fault them for thinking that a match between Emma and Frank Churchill might be desirable. Knightley could even see the advantages of such a match himself. The only disadvantage he could see was that no one really knew Frank Churchill, because the young man refused to make his presence known to Highbury. Still, the prospect of Frank Churchill ever coming to Highbury at all made Knightley uneasy. He couldn't even begin to explain it to himself. All he knew, at the bottom of his heart, was that the union was wrong.

Mr. Knightley realised that someone was speaking to him and quickly forced himself out of his reverie. Mr. Woodhouse desired to discuss the impending nuptials. Mr. Knightley spent the remainder of the night talking to Mr. Woodhouse, trying to cheer him. It was a difficult task. Mr. Woodhouse seemed determined to be dissatisfied. However, Mr. Knightley did his best.

The evening came to an end after a few agonizing hours for Mr. Knightley. He trailed out of Hartfield, shoulders hunched, smile vanished. He admitted to himself that there was something bothering him about the upcoming nuptials. Mr. Weston and Miss Taylor married. Emma alone. Mr. Churchill would certainly come to visit - he could not avoid it anymore without being profoundly rude.

Frank Churchill would come to Highbury. He would meet Emma; and she would be lonely. They would form an attachment and that would be...completely unacceptable.

Mr. Knightley, a gentleman who faced issues with great gravity did not shrink away from self examination.

Why was he so adamantly against a union between Emma and Mr. Churchill?

Why was he so adamantly against a union between Emma and ... anyone?

Like lightening, the truth shone. Mr. Knightley had the most delightful, the most frightening epiphany. He loved Emma.

* * *

". . .and that was the exact moment I realized I loved you," Mr. Knightley completed his narrative. Emma and he were engaged; no one else existed in the world but them. Their conversations often dwelled on the past and the future. Reality was not as important as the world in which they lived.

Emma, true to her sex, insisted on these conversations. Mr. Knightley did not object, quite the opposite, in fact. He often chastised himself for the time they had missed, time which could have been spent like this, sitting together beside a beautiful stream, heads together, sharing their most intimate secrets.

Mr. Knightley did not regret sharing at all. In truth, he wanted to know when Emma had realised she loved him, as well (that she _did_ so was a miracle he had just begun to grasp.) To his surprise, Emma did not answer immediately.

Instead, she blushed, frowned and turned her face. Mr. Knightley, not at all pleased with this turn of events, was startled. However, his worry did not last long. Emma, who had felt the weight of past errors on her shoulders for a while now, wanted to confess.

"Unfortunately, it took me much longer than it took you to understand my heart... it took me too long. My dearest, Mr. Knightley, once more I realise I do not deserve you..."

Such declaration could not be borne by the gentleman. He took her hands in his own, looked into her eyes and started a feverish rebuttal of her allegations. She raised her eyes and they were filled with such adoration that it was too much. He was seized by his feelings. He had to act.

He pressed his lips to hers for the first time. He had fantasised about this moment countless times, but the reality surpassed his most vivid imaginings. Only with great effort he disentangled himself from their kiss. He whispered thanks to his father for raising sons who were gentlemen, whose principles could not be deterred, even at the height of their passion.

"My darling Emma...," he started.

She silenced him by placing her slender fingers on his lips.

"I do not regret it," she smiled. "Sometimes, it is better not to dwell on these things, do you not agree?"

Emma gazed at him, in a bewitching way which begged for more kisses. He found he could not argue anything with her, a novelty in their entire acquaintance.

Apparently, this would not be the only occasion Mr. Knightley would have to utilize his gentlemanly principles.

Postscript. The writer of this piece does not claim to specialise in the workings of the human mind. However, it was indicative of Emma's condition of mind that the morning after her wedding night - when she woke up in blissful happiness - that she felt she should be very grateful to Frank Churchill and Harriet Smith. Very grateful indeed.

 


End file.
